Machine for making coat hangers



MACHINE FOR MAKING COAT HANGERS Filed July 30, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Yiiam 173272?? Sept. 13, 1932. w. J. REHRIG MACHINE FOR MAKING COAT HANGERS Filed July 50. 1950' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 13, 1932. w. J. REHRIG 1,876,752

MACHINE FOR MAKING COAT HANGERS Filed July 30. 1930 4 sheets-sheefb 5 INVENTOR )yzzzz'am 156572 .A TTO EY Sept. 13, 1932, w. J. REHRIG 1,876,752

MACHINE FOR MAKING COAT HANGERS Filed July 30, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 13 6 rate r.-

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Patented Sept. 13,-1932 UNITED AT S A ENTQQFFI'CE F wILLiA 'J. REHRIG, or Los Ane Lns, oAnri oniim monrnn ron Maxine ooa'r ananas Application fiieafnu so, 1930. Serial This invention is intended to provide means for automatically rounding or trimming the top or convex edges of coat hanger blanks and also for boring holes through said blanks for the usual supporting hooks. More particularly the primary object is to provide means which will produce this work quickly and efiectively, whereby a maximum number of coat hangers are manufactured with a minimum of hand labor and expense. 7 It has heretofore been customary to do thiswork by a series of hand and machine operations, whereas by the use of my invention a single operationof feeding the coat hanger blanks to the machine is only required,-),the

machine being adapted to perform the functions above indicated, rapidly and entirely automatically, the finished articles being n ejected clear of the machine. It is customary, because of expense, to construct coat hangers out of wood,,the-blanks being ,cut on" a curve with the grain running towards both ends. In order to trim the topor con.-. vex edges smoothly it is necessary to cut the1 material with the grain towards both en sby my invention in an efficient-and efie'ctive manner, whereby a smoothly finished -arti-' cle is produced. r

in the accompanying drawings forming part, of this specification, Fig. 1 is a side elevationof my invention, partly in vertical section taken on line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2-

is a plan of the entire machine;Fig.3'is a perspective view of one of the coat hanger blanks before it has been trimmed and drilled; Figml is another perspective view of the coat hanger blank after it has been drilled :and the trimmers not beingishown;

horizontal turn table 4 This function .also is accomplished trimmed and partlybrokenawayto show the Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig.1, part of the turntable being broken away and the frame of the machine removed; Fig.8 is an enlarged section ofqa detail taken approximately on line 7- of Fig. 1 showing one of thespring ejectors, and Fig, 9 is an elevation ofthestructure shown in Fig. 8. Y

- A indicates a skeleton frame which may be of any suitable construction to support the partsof the machine. stationary shaftcentrallydisposed from top to bottom of theframe-and upon which a G is journaled, said turn table being provided with'asleeve 1O and'revolved continuously by a bevel gear 11 orany othersuitableprime mover. The, turn'tablehas a peripheralhorizontal rim 12, constituting. a circular rest which re- 1 volves about shaft B as an axis in, a horizontal plane and is adapted tocarry-the coat hanger 7o rims 13 are being trimmed or rounded and. their median portions are. being drilled and formed with hook receiving holes as shown atjl l in Fig. 4. This'circular .rest 12 conforms substantially with the longitudinal curvature of the coat hanger blanks andin width is lessthan the dimensions between the convex; andv concave edges of each blank. Itisadapted-to receive and carry a series of said blanks during. the complete cycleof operation of the machine, that is fromtlie time or. placing the blanks ina hopperlike structure Gr above said rest l2puntil the blanks are successively ejected or kickedolf after the trimming and drilling operations. "The circumference of the restis sufficient to; accommodate any lanks D fiat-upon their sides while their deslred; number of coat hanger blanks when arranged lengthwise and flatthereon. As shown the rest willhold five V blanks evenly'spaced apart; [For each blank the turn table 'isqprovided with a pair of clamps E for holding the corresponding blank on the rest and with a drill element F forv drilling the hole 14 while the turntableis revolving 'Also for all of the blanks two trimmers H are arranged to trimand finish the" convex edges. These operations are automatic, no hand-labor be ing required after theblanks have; been B is a vertical 60-- through'the blank placed in the hopper and until after they have been finished and ejected from the machine.

The hopper structure consists of two pairs of vertical angle members and 16, the two pairs being secured to the frame A and formmg a pair of'vertical channels adapted to receive the end of a stack of blanks D arranged flatwise upon each other and curved outwardly corresponding with the curvature of the rest. Two segmental guards 17 and 18 are secured to the lower ends of the angle members 15 and 16 to form a longitudinal channel for the lowermost blankbelow the stack/of blanks. The inner surface of the rest has a series of ejector springs 19, there being a pair for each blank against its inner edge on the rest 12' an'd'these ejectors are sprung back by contact againsttheinner segmental guard 17 as the turntable revolves in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) but engage and tend to press-saidblank outwardly away from the restand table as soon as the lowermost blank moves forwardlyfrom below the stack. The outermostguard 18 continues to hold the blank on the rest while the corresponding pair of clamps E engage theblank on the rest previous to contact with the trimmers H and corresponding drill F. As the turn table revolves asstated one of the five evenly spaced shoulder members 20 on thesurface of the rest engages the lowermost'blank D of the in the hopper and serves to slide it from below the stackand cause it to move with" theturn table during. the remaining,

portionof" a' revolution until released and ejected from the machine. Each pair ofclamp members E for holding a blank on the rest is operated to engage orrelease'a-blank by a cam 21 (Fig.7) ontlie main shaft B, having a suitably shaped ca-mgroove=-22. Each member of each pair of clampsE consists of a spring urged presser foot 23, (see Fig. 7 1) which is carried by a swinging arm-24, said arm extending downthrough the turn table and being piv oted 'througha cam groove 25' by the pinor pivot-265. The movement of tli'epresser foot 23 is outward and down upon the blank to hold-the latter on the rest and upward and back away from overthe-rest. -This movement is impartedto said arm by a crank 27 (see Fig. 6) which in turn is tiltingly mounted-on a "shaft 28, said shaft being coupled to operate both clamp elements of a pair simultaneously. Rocking movement is imparted to said shaft by a single slide 30 in a guide block 31 which is secured to the table by bolts 32, said slide being coupled to said shaft 28 by the crank arm 33 and coupling link 34 and eing connected with the cam 21 in its cam groove by the roller pin 35. n

Thus immediately following the removal of a'blank frombelow the stack of blanks in the hopper, the corresponding pair of clamps is forced down against said blank to hold the latter firmly upon the rest with its convex edge projecting outwardly from the table.

In this condition the turn table revolves the blank into co-action with the trimmers H.

These trimmers are arranged to cut the coat hanger blanks with the grain of the wood, that is towards both ends, the first trimming element carrying a rotating cutter 36 revolving in the direction of its arrow shown in Fig. 5 or contraclockwise and the second trimming elementcarrying a rotating cutter 37 revolving in the direction of its arrow or clockwise. The rotating cutter 36 is driven by an electric motor 38 which is mounted in a carriage 39, said carriage being pivotally mounted at 40 in the main frame A to swing in a horizontal plane with the periphery of the cutter 36 in-contact with the convex edge of the blank. A coil spring 41 on rod 42 is pivotally secured atone end by pivot 42 to the main frame and slides through a holder 43,'thus serving to swing the carriage 39 and urge the cutter 36 in cutting action against the blank. A nut 14 on the outer end of rod 12 acts as a stopagainst said holder to adjustably limit the depth of cutting. The outer wall of the rim 12 has a circumferential series of cams 41, there being one properly positioned for each blank carried by the turn table, and the carriage 39 has a cam operated lifting arm 46 which serves to co-act with each cam 41 and lift the cutter 36 out of contact with the forward portion of each blank and allow the cutter to perform its cutting action only with the grain of the wood on the last half or latter portion of the blank. The cutter 37 likewise is revolved by an electric motor 47 which is mounted in a carriage 48',

said'carriage-being pivotally mounted at 49 inthe main-frame A to swing in a horizontal plane with the periphery of the cutter 37 in contact with the outer edge of the blank. A spring 50 held on a rod 51 which slides through a holder 52 serves to swing the carriage 48 and urge the cutter 37 in cutting ac- ,tion against the blank and the nut 53 acts as an'adjustable stop against said hold-er to limit the depth of cutting. There is no cam operated lifting element for this cutting element,.the action-of the cutter being to cut the forward portion of the convex edge of the blank with the grain of the material and to follow freely without cutting when passing over the last portion or previously cut portion of the blank. From then on the blank remains clamped on the rest until it is drilled, whereupon it is ejected automatically.

Assembled on the turn table are the drill elements F, there being five in number, one foreach blank upon the rest. Each drill element hasan electric motor 54, receiving current through a commutator 55 on the shaft B and being continuously operated to revolve 3. drill'fifiwhile the turn table revolves. Each 7 clamping, 'tr1mming,

the spring ejectors required for motor is mounted upon a sliding base 57 which is carried by the turn table and permits the motor to reciprocate' its revolving drill radially from the shaft B and backto drill-a hole through a the turn table makes a complete rotation. The various slides are actuated by a cam 58 having a cam groove'59 so shaped as toco-act with cam rods60 connected with the motor bases 57 to move each drill into and out of a blank as theturn table revolves and to completely drill the blanks before reaching a position immediately ahead of the hopper G, whereupon the cam 21 releases the clamps and 19 eject the blank from-the machine. The cutting by drills commences upon ablank while the latter is in'a position at the lowerend of thehopper G and while the cutters 36- and 37 "are performing their functions, each'drill being driven through a blank and withdrawn while the turn table I moves each blank from' a'position immediately after leaving the hopper Gruntilrea'ching a position immediately before returning to the hopper-and I when the finished blank is released and ejected from the turn table. One drill only actsupon a blank and a plurality ofblan'ks being operated upon at a time in the machineto increase-speed of production.

' Ihis cycle of operations continues rapidwithout stopping, the boring and ejecting ac} tions occurring-without interruption and not step by step, thus adapting the machine for high speed production with minimum" of hand labor and expense. The period of time boring while the turn table ops'peed requires a plurality of ly and continuously erates at high boring instrumentalities and sufiicie'nt space circumferentially to'hold a series of blanks on the turn table inorder that the boring function can be accomplished-in an eiiicient manner while the turn table revolves continuously without pausing.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the construction which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the structure shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

I-Iaving described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Patent is 1. A machine for trimming the convex rims of garment hanger blanks, comprising, in combination, a continuously revolublecarrier, means for feeding a series of said blanks to be trimmed lengthwise in a circular path upon said carrierwith their convex rims coincident with the axis of said carrier, means for holding said blanks on said carrier blankas shownin Fig; 4 while towards the opposite ends, comprising, 1n

Letters blanks from the carrier near the end of their cycle of travel. v 2. A machine for trimming the convex rims of garment hanger blanks, comprising, in combination, a carrier continuously revoluble about a substantially vertical axis, means for revolving said. carrier, hopper means for holding a stack of said blanks over the outer portion of the surface'of said carrierymeans carried on said carrier for successively removing the lowermost tribute them longitudinally at spaced intervals around'said carrier and with their con,- vex rims coincident with the axis of said carrier, means for automatically clamping the individual blanks onsaid carrier after they are removed from said stack and during part of the cycle of the carrier and releasing theblanks nearthe end of their'travel, means for trimming. the convex edges of the indi- Vidualblankson the carrier, a plurality of power fdrills' 'niovable carrier, one drill, being provided todrill. a hole in. eachfblankl of blanks are. being advanced by said carrier, and means for ejecting the blanks when they are released from the carrier.

, 3. A machine fortrimming wooden garment hanger blanks having convex rims with the'grain of the wood trending longitudinally combinatioma carrier continuously revoluble about an axis, means for revolving said1car ricer, mean-s forfeeding a series of said blanks to be trimmed lengthwise in a circular path upon said carrier with thei'rconvex rims coin cident with the. axis of said carrier, means for holding said blanks on said carrier when received thereon and for releasing said blanks near theend of their cycle of travel, means for-trimming the convex rims of said blanks while theblanks-are' held upon said carrier and revolved in a forw ,rd direction, said trimming nieans having a pair of cutting elements, the-first revolving in a forward direction and disposed to trim the forward portion of the rim with the grain of a, blankand'the second revolving in the opposite direction and disposed to escape cutting said forward portion and to trim the latter portion oftherim with the grain of' said blank, means for operatingsa id second cutter toperform its function, a plurality of power drills movable continuously with the carrier, one drill being provided to drill a hole in each blank, of said series while the blanks are being advanced by blanks of said stack to discontinuously with the said series while the said carrier, and means for ejecting the blanks from the carrier near the end of their cvcle of travel.

0 4. A machine for working wooden garment hanger blanks having convex rims extending between their ends and the grain of the material trending longitudinally towards the ends of each blank, means for holding and continuously moving a series of the blanks ina direction coincident with their rims when the blanks are arranged longitudinally in a circle, a pair of cutters, one being disposed to trim the forward portion and the other the latter portion of each rim while the blanks are being moved in a forward direction, said cutters being revoluble to trim the material with the grain of said material in opposite directions a plurality of power drills movable continuously with the holding and moving means, one drill being provided to drill a hole in each blank of said series while the blanks are being advanced.

5. A machine for working wooden garment hanger blanks having convex rims with the grain of the wood trending towards the opposite ends, comprising, in combination, a circular carrier continuously revoluble about a vertical axis, means for revolving said carrier, means for holding a stack of blanks to be fed down upon said carrier with their sides disposed horizontally and with their rims coincident with said axis, means actuated by the carrier for distributing a series of said blanks from the lower portion of said stack at spaced intervals around the surface of said carrier with their convex rims projecting from the rim of said carrier, means for clamping each blank of said series upon said carrier, a pair of rotary cutters disposed to trim the convex edge of each blank of said series while being held upon said carrier, the forward of said cutters revolving to cut with the grain of the forward portion of said convex edge of said blank and the rearward cutters revolving in the opposite direction to cut with the grain of the rearward portion of said convex edge of said blank, means for holding said rearward cutter out of cutting action with the forward portion of said rim and for moving and holding it in cutting action with said rearward portion of said rim as said carrier revolves, a plurality of power the carrier, one drill being provided to drill a hole in each blank ofsaid series while the blanks are being advanced by said carrier, and means for ejecting the blanks from the carrier after the cutters have performed their function.

6. A machine for working wooden garment hanger blanks having convex rims extending between their ends and the grain of the ma terial trending longitudinally towards the ends of each blank, means for holding and moving a series of the blanks continuously in drills movable continuously with a direction coincident with said convex rims, a pair of cutters one being disposed to trim the forward portion and the otherthe latter portion of each rim while the blanks are being turned in a forward direction, said cutters being revoluble to trim the material with the grain of said material in opposite directions, a plurality of power drills movable continuously with the holding and moving means, one drill being provided to drill a hole in each blank of said series while the blanks are being advanced, andmeans for re-- leasing and ejecting the blanks after the drilling.

7. A machine for making garment hanger blanks having convex rims, comprising, in combination, a circular carrier revoluble about a vertical axis, means for revolving said carrier continuously, means for holding a stack of blanks to be fed down upon said carrier with their sides disposed horizontally and with their rims coincident with said axis, means actuated by the carrier for distributing a series of said blanks from the lower portion of said stack at spaced intervals around the surface of said carrier with their convex rims projecting from the rim of said carrier, means for holding each: blank of said series upon said carrier, means for trimming. the convex edge of each blank of saidseries while being held upon said carrier, a vplurality of individual motor actuated drills revoluble with said carrier one drill being provided to drill a hole in each blank of said series, means for feeding each drill to drill. a hole and withdrawing itfromits work during a portion of the cycle ofsaid carrier and means for ejecting the blanks fromv the carrier after said trimming and drilling operations.

In witness whereof I have signed'my name to this specification.

WILLIAM J. REHRIG. 

